A planned referendum in Switzerland next year on lifting the ban on building new nuclear power plants brings the country’s long-running energy policy debate back to the ballot box, but there is no need for a blanket ban on an entire technology, the Swiss Nuclear Forum has said.

The forum, a pro-nuclear group which has individual and collective members, said it will participate in the debate, relying on “facts and objective arguments”.

The forum said objections to new nuclear power plants often concern specific projects, costs or construction timelines. It said these issues will need to be addressed within the framework of any potential permitting procedures.